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Letters Patent No. 76,670, dated April 14, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUNGS.

To ALL wHoM 1T MAY eoNoERN:

Be it known that I, CONRAD C. STRnMME, ofvAustin, in the county of iTravis, in the State of Texas, have invented a new and improved Bung for Beer and other Barrels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, and the letters ofv reference marked thereon, similar letters'of referenc'indicating corresponding Aparte in the several igures, of V Figure 1 is a vertical section through the middle of bung and bung-socket.

`Figure 2, a vertical section through the middle of the bung-socket, without the bung. i

Figure 3, a view of bung and bung-socket from above.

Figure 4, a view of the bung-socket from above.

Figure 5, 'a side view of the bung-socket.'

Figure 6, a side view oi' the bung. v

Figure 7, avew of the bung from below, the faucet-like air-valve removed.

Figure 8, a view of the bung from below, showing the faucet-like air-valve in the centre.

Figure 9, a side view of the air-valves plug and axle.

Figure 10, a front view of the key by which the bung, as well as the female screw, on top of the air-valves axle, is to be'turned.

Figure 11, aside View of the same key.

The nature of my invention consists in employing .a metallic bung, which is sunk into a circular socket, also of metal, and tightened there, when turned, by two teeth, which, standing opposite each other ony the side of the bung, move in two inclining coiiesponding slits in the side of the socket, like a screw in the nut, and in the providing of the bung with an independent vent or air-valve of faucet-like-construction.

To enable others to make use oi' my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

As will be seen-from the drawings, a circular metallic socket, a, is tightly screwed into the bung-hole, for the reception of the bung, b. Its opening is conical, wider above than below, and so is the side of the bung,

which is also of metal, and tted to the socket most intimately by grinding, just like the glass 4Stoppers gen-v erally are to the neck of glass bottles. In the upper part of the sockets inner side, twovslits, e "e, are cut opposite cach other,`and sloping both downward in'the same direction, like the worm of' a female screw. These slits are intended to guide two teeth, d d, protruding from the side of the bung, also opposite each other, for the purpose of tightening the bung to the socket, by turning it in the direction of' the downward slope ofthe slit, say from the-left hand to the right. To avoid the acute running out-of the slit on top of the socket, and for the purpose oi' hindering the bung from falling out so easily when untightened, a cut, e, froml above, rectangular to the incliningslit, is made to communicate with the latter a little back from the upper end of the same, and just wide enough to admit the above-mentioned teeth cl 0l. These teeth are cut out of the head of a screw, the ends of which, ff, project into the cavity of' the bung above, made mainly for the arrangement ofthe air-valve, and serve as holds for the key, (figs. 10 and 11,) by which the bung is to lbe turned. The plug, g, ofthe faucet-like air-valve, consists 'either in a cone, or, as here represented, in a hollow hemisphere, fitted to a dome-like socket, h, in the bottom of the bung', by grinding. Plug g and dome 7i are each provided with two holes, z'vz', opposite each other, and arranged thus, that these in the plug correspond exactly with those in the dome, so as to be able to form, when adjusted, two single openings through plug and dome together. Such adjustment, or also disconnection of the just-mentioned holes, is to be performed by the turning of the axle, 7c, with which the hemispheric plug g is provided on its top. This axle k reaches through the dome 7L, in its centre, where it is provided with a winged-lever key, Z, set on a hexagonal cut, above which it is kept by a female screw, n, that also tightens the connection between the hemispheric plug and the dome.

In order to protect the metal against the attacks of the fluids in the barrels, and oz'ce versa, I intend to cover the parts that come in contact with the same with a coat of different protecting substances, according to he nature of the fluids. Against beer, for instance, I would-.use a coat ot' pitchgagainstoils, spirits,.wine, kc., t coat of tin or enamel, like that used for iron pots, &,c.

The advantages which this new bung-offers are- First. It needs no hammering in closing and opening the bung-holes ofA the barrels, as is required by the rse of the common wooden bangs, and preserves, therefore, in general, the bung-stavcs, as well as also espe- :iallythe pitch-coat in the beer-barrels, and keeps, on that account, the beer always free of the disgusting )itch particles which are sometimes swimming inrit. j l

Second. The duid may be irawnoff without moving the bung, and without boring air-holesinto the bungltave, as it requires only the turning of the air-valve in the centre of the bung to admit the necessary air into ,he barrel to allow the intended performance, adding, at the same time, to the convenience as ivell as to thel )reservation ot' the bung-stave; and l' i Third. It protects against fraudulent extractions from the barrel, as, by sending liquids from one place to mother, the address may be pasted over the bung; and,`besidcs, the bung'cannot be conveniently turned and i :aken out without the key.

The working of thetwo teeth in inclinedslits inside the socket admits the construction of a -bung with an entirely closed joint at the bottom, enabling it'to fitfperfectly within the* socket.. This remedies the defect of .eakage in a bung Where the teeth Work on inclined planes at the bottom ot"v the socket, for,'in such` a bung, the grooves admitting the teeth must necessarily extend from top to bottom of the socket.

I am aware that there are already similar arrangements applied for the closingr hermetically of cans, bottles, Sacs, and I lay no claim to such arrangements in general.

What Ido claim as my invention is 1. The combination of the bung with the socket, the bung being ,secured by means of the teeth d UZ, Working in inclined slits inside the socket, thereby'making,` a-vefatertgbt` lock4 for a barrel, without s`h`nldering or the use of packing. i i Y 2. The vent or air-valve, constructed as shown, in combination with the bung, as substantially set forth.

`CONRAD '0. STREMME.

Witnesses:

A. J. HAMILTQN, n Jnssn STANGEL. 

